LEGAL 



TIDES 



Public Access, 

 Parking Pinch? 



By Kathleen Angione 



This summer, families from all over the United States will pack themselves into their cars 

 and begin the trek to North Carolina's beautiful shorelines. Whether they drive for two hours or 

 20, many travelers will endure the exasperating hallmarks of a family road trip: muscle-curdling 

 leg cramps, crumb-covered seats, and crabby cries of "Are we there yet?" 



The first glimpse of tall, wispy sea oats atop glistening sand dunes will be a welcome sight. 

 But before they can unload — whether it is for a day trip or a week's stay at a private bungalow 

 off the beach — they must deal with one more nagging question: "Where will we park?" 



N 



I orth Carolina has more than 320 

 miles of oceanfront shoreline, and much of it 

 is available for public use. However, accessing 

 these areas isn't always easy, especially for 

 those who arrive by car. 



"People can't simply pull off the road 

 wherever they please to access the beach," 

 says Walter Clark, North Carolina Sea Grant's 

 coastal community and policy specialist. 'They 

 must find a place to park — whether it is a 

 privately owned facility or one owned by a 

 local, state or federal agency." 



Approximately 12 million people visited 

 North Carolina's coastal region last year, 

 according to the N.C. Department of Commerce 

 (NCDC). That number or more are expected 

 this year, and many will come by car. State and 

 federal parks often have large parking areas, 

 but some coastal communities are struggling to 

 accommodate visitors during the peak summer 

 season. Depending on the destination, visitors 

 may feel a parking pinch. 



"Parking is an issue everywhere, but 

 particularly near ocean beaches," says Michael 

 Lopazanski, a coastal and ocean policy analyst 

 at the N.C. Division of Coastal Management 

 (DCM). "It is in very short supply, particularly 

 for day users." 



Local policies on public beach access and 

 parking vary among communities, says Spencer 

 Rogers, North Carolina Sea Grant's coastal 

 construction and erosion specialist. 



Some towns have free parking lots, while 

 others allow parking on side streets adjacent to 

 the beach. Some communities have no public 

 parking at all. 



In Southern Shores, two homeowner 

 associations provide permit-only parking lots for 

 residents, according to Rogers. 



"Renting a house qualifies you for the 

 week," he explains. 



Figure Eight Island has a private bridge, 

 limiting access to owners and renters. 



Continued 



CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Metered parking is more common in larger coastal communities, such as Wrightsville 

 Beach. • Cars back up along the road in Surf City during Memorial Day weekend. • Public beach access and associated 

 facilities vary greatly among North Carolina 's coastal towns. • More traffic means more visitors and potential revenue for 

 coastal communities, but it also means more competition for parking. • To accommodate increasing numbers of visitors, 

 Surf City purchased Cindy s Oceanside Restaurant and will turn the 1 50- foot beachfront strip into a public access and 

 parkingsite. • A walkway to the beach in Pine Knoll Shores winds through the maritime forest. • Topsail Beach day- 

 trippers lucky enough to find a parking spot haul their gear down to the shore. • Many towns are renovating their beach 

 access sites to include handicap-accessible features, such as this wheelchair ramp in Holden Beach. 



Coastwatch I High Season 2006 I www.ncseagrant.org 21 



